Avenger
by faded harmony
Summary: Even in their split sides, the goddess of Wisdom and the goddess of Weaving can agree on one thing; Rome must fall to the hands of their children, and the injustice must be avenged. Save Athens. Avenge Minerva. Bring honor to Athena. Oneshot.


**Title: **Avenger (or Athena the Avenger)

**Summary**: Even in their split sides, the goddess of Wisdom and the goddess of Weaving can agree on one thing; Rome must fall to the hands of their children, and the injustice must be avenged. Save Athens. Avenge Minerva. Bring honor to Athena.

**Rating**: K+ (Idk? I guess it doesn't matter in this one really...)

**Disclaimer: **I'm not Rick Riordan, as much as I wish.

**A/N** - Oh how I wish this was a Marvel Avengers story, not the crazy ravings of the most levelheaded Olympian slowly slipping into insanity. This was caused by two things; a, rereading the Mark of Athena; b, a post on tumblr that had an audio recording of what schizophrenia sounds like. Creepy as hell. So yeah, that recording basically scared the living crap out of me so here's panic oneshot. Contains dialouge from the Mark of Athena. It will be kind of confusing to see who Athena/Minerva is talking to, but it's mostly the both of them arguing with one another. And I switch the names around freely, but that was purposeful. Yep. Leave a review or not, I'm kinda tired so yeah, do whatever. That's all.

* * *

**Avenger**

* * *

_Look there._  
_No wait, don't!_  
_You have to find this, it should be here..._  
_What does the map say?_  
_I can't see, it's all to disorientating..._  
_Can you see it?_  
_Where?_  
_Wh-_  
_What's going on?_  
_Disobeyed father's orders, he will be most displeased..._  
_Close the doors of Olympus? What good will that do to rot in our thrones?_  
_What throne?_  
_No throne to Minerva..._  
_Father caused this, and his selfish bride..._  
_But is he Zeus?_  
_Or is he that worthless leader they call on for the Romans..._  
_Jupiter? The greatest and the most powerful?_  
_Not all of us got to keep our titles, you know._  
_I am Athena-_  
_no, I am Minerva-_  
_No, Athena remains stronger!_  
_Minerva is weaker than her other half._  
_Finish the quest, finish your mission, you have to find them..._  
_'Minerva, your wisdom guides Rome. Help us burn bright!'_  
_Minerva!_  
_'Athena, mother, please, just bring him back...'_  
_Annabeth? Annabeth! She calls for Athena..._  
_No, you are Minerva._

She was sitting at Grand Central Terminal. And then she was suddenly zooming down a street at godly speed. Something was calling her, the map was leading her...

Minerva reached for her compass. She held it in her palm as she whizzed by mortals, and the directional on it spun frantically, even too fast for a goddess to process.  
_Maybe Athena is right, you were stronger in your Greek powers..._  
_'Minerva, be our wisdom on the road,' the Romans told her..._  
_There were no temples to Minerva, she was not even worthy to be a minor goddess anymore._  
_'They stole my statue!'_ Athena cried in her mind.  
Minerva ignored her as she studied the compass. _They had every right, Athena, they wanted to end the war._

_'No! I demand recompense!'_  
_What recompense? Send a special chosen of your children to die to retrieve it?_  
_'You feel the boiling in me, Minerva, we are both the same.'_  
_We are not alike. You claim you are so powerful, then why do I hold the reins?_  
_'My daughter is near, as well as countless mortals. Calling me into power at this time would kill all of them. We would be highlighted by the gods.'_  
_Oh, you and your wisdom._  
_'I'm the goddess of Wisdom! What are you, weavemaker?'_  
_Stop fighting! _  
_'Minerva!'_  
_Athena._  
_'Minerva?'_  
_I know the plan, but this compass makes no sense..._

The compass spun North to the right, then to the left, then it turned in circles. Minerva stopped in her tracks and took out her map once more, but the shapes on it kept moving. She vaguely saw various monsters appear, and the warnings written all over it for impending civil war. She remembered seeing the signs during the last civil war, but the crazy voices in her head were just enough to announce the presence.  
She sighed and folded up the weathered map. It almost turned to dust in her hands, and gazed around at the mortals around her.  
_I am Minerva._  
A businessman talking on a cellphone passed through her being, leaving her shocked. Athena was right, she was not _recognized_.  
_'Minerva, let me continue the quest!'_  
_No Athena, you've failed for eons! It is up to me to restore balance._

There was a candy shop sitting beside her, and the Subway map sat near it, so she walked over to that. On the surface she saw the entire program of the subway, but if she lowered her vision just a tad into the immortal realm - oh, it was dark. The rising was happening, just as it had before.

"A long journey," she whispered to herself. In her hand a long wooden staff - more like a walking stick - held in her palms. Energy laced around her, bending the laws and a pair of hiking boots appeared on her feet.  
_I must find the statue, for Athena, and this madness of a war..._

"Mother!"  
Something brought them both to the surface, but Minerva only registered Athena's shock.

_Not the statue, not the problem..._  
_My daughter, Minerva!_

Minerva turned back to the map. "I must return home," she muttered.

The blonde girl remained adamant. "Mom!" she cried. "Athena!"

_Athena, I had a name like that once..._  
_Athena?_  
_No, Minerva..._  
_Athena? Athens, where did you go?_  
_I can not hear her..._

Minerva looked from looking at her map, and stared at the mortal who had recognized her. At least someone has, she thought sadly.  
The girl was sixteen, maybe, and Athena had a vague remembrance of her. Annabeth, wasn't it? She had curly blonde hair, which should have struck a chord, but she remained indifferent.  
The girl looked at her curiously, and her grey eyes seemed to register how Minerva looked at her with no faint recognition.

_I had a city, once, with olive trees and buildings and filled with the hopes and expectations of the people, and the smell of offerings and prayers..._  
_Ah, I've missed Athens. _  
_It is gone now, just like Athena._

"That was my name," Minerva said, lost in a daydream. "Before they sacked my city, took my identity, made me _this_." Athena glanced down at her clothes with distaste. She had to return to Athens, rescue Athena... "I must return home."

_Annabeth. That was her name._ She stepped back in shock and surprise, and stuttered "You're...you're Minerva?"

_How dare she, my daughter! I am Athena! Shush, Athena, Minerva holds your being together. You lose your ties as the days fall, but you have me to tie yourself too._  
"Don't call me that!" Minerva felt the rage in her mind. No recognition for her, she was Athena, or was she? Athena unleashed herself "I used to carry a spear and a shield. I held victory in the palm of my hand. I was so much more than this."

_Calm down, Athena..._  
_'Romans! No respect for me! I was Athena, the war! Not Minerva, the weaver!'_

Annabeth's voice trembled, and she looked like she was about to cry. "Mom." she pleaded. "It's me, Annabeth. Your _daughter_."

_I had a daughter, and a city, but the Romans know of no children of Minerva..._  
_'Pray for me, Minerva, protect our stronghold.'_  
_Bah! I should be Athena!_  
_Minerva, you are not Athena..._  
_Athena is Minerva!_  
"My daughter," Athena repeated, still trying to concentrate on keeping control of Minerva. "Yes, my children will avenge me. They must destroy the Romans. Horrible, dishonorable, copycat Romans. Hera argued we must keep the two camps apart. I said, '_No, let them fight._' Let my children destroy the usurpers."

_The Romans..._  
_Juno, or Hera?_  
_Hera, the goddess of unity..._  
_We must tear the Romans apart!_  
_But they call for me?_  
_Ignore them, I care not for the Romans!_  
_Athena! They are under your guide!_  
_Let them burn, like they shall in Rome! All of Rome shall burn!_

Annabeth looked like she had been slapped. "You _wanted_ that?" She sounded like she was in disbelief. "But you're wise. You understand warfare better than any-"

"Once!" Minerva cried in loss of her power. "Replaced. Sacked. Looted like a trophy and carted off-" Her statue, Athens, and all her beloved power; "-away from my beloved homeland. I lost so much." And she had, she had lost all the rights she had earned. "I swore I would never forgive." _Burn Rome! Let the empire fall once again!" _Neither would my children." She focused more closely on Annabeth. "You are my daughter?"

_Minerva, No! Not my daughter!_  
_She is chosen, Athena, you know it too..._  
_She will die at the hands of the weaver!_  
_We were weavers once too, but I am the weaver of the Romans, who formed their supports, but I can just as easily pull a string and let it all collapse._  
_Let Rome burn, burn through Rome..._  
_The mark, Minerva..._  
_My power of Athena..._  
_The Athena Parthenos..._

Annabeth hesitated for only a second. "Yes." she said with clarity and certainty.

Athena reached for her shirt pocket, and took out a coin. Maybe an old subway token to a mortal, but it would be worth more to her. "Follow the Mark of Athena," she ordered. "Avenge me."

She stared at the coin for a moment, inspecting it, and looked at Minerva with a confused and puzzled expression. "Mom..."

Annabeth took a deep breath. "Percy is missing. I need your help. You see, Hera took him from our camp and placed him in the Roman camp to bring the two sides together to fight Gaea and her giants. He's been missing for a while, and the prophecy is to unite both the Greeks and the Romans-"

_No! The Romans!_  
_Burn Rome to the ground!_  
_Rome must fall!_

Athena pounded her traveling stick against the floor in irritation. "Never!" she said. "Anyone who helps Rome must perish. If you would join them, you are no child of mine. You have already failed me."

_No child of mine may serve the Romans..._  
_Dishonor on them, they hold no values for Athena..._

Annabeth looked at her with a new expression of realization that her mother was not who she thought anymore. "Mother!"

Minerva ignored her. "I care nothing about this Percy. If he has gone over to the Romans, let him perish." _Let all of Rome perish._ "Kill him. Kill all the Romans. Find the Mark, follow it to its source. Witness how Rome has disgraced me, and pledge your vengeance."

_Only this way may you gain respect from me and will I ever regain my place in Rome._  
_Why would you want the Romans to respect you anyways?_  
_No, to fear me! They shall pay for the injustice they have caused me! None shall be spared, as long as the blood of Rome runs through their veins! Athena will be avenged!_

Annabeth clenched her fists and kept her arms to the side, tense like she was expecting a fight. "Athena isn't the goddess of revenge. Percy is everything to me."

Minerva snarled. "And revenge is everything to me, which of us is wiser?"

Annabeth looked like she was trying to stay calm. "Something is wrong with you. What's happened?"

Athena mentally shook her thoughts in her head, and with a bitter reply answered; "Rome happened!" See what they have done, making a Roman of me. They wish me to be their goddess? Then let them taste their own evil. Kill them, child."

"No!"

_No use to me, then.  
Avenge me!  
Burn Rome! Kill the Romans!_

Minerva turned back to the Subway map, but it made no less sense than when she had first looked at it. She needed something to focus on- where was Athena? She had gone strangely silent. "Then you are nothing. If I could find the route…the way home, then perhaps-" _The map, the compass, all have failed. There has to be another way..._ "But, no. Avenge me or leave me. You are no child of mine."

_Run, child, run. You must bear the curse of Athena now too._  
_Find Athens!_  
_Bring and restore the power of the olive city!_

She must have run off, because when Minerva turned around she no longer saw her daughter. Hopefully to finish her quest.  
Minerva sighed, and with her walking stick in hand and the silent voice of Athena in her mind, all wisdom left, she forsake her throne and fled.

There was a civil war in the future, she saw that, and her other half was constantly butting in the way and sometimes stopping last-minute decisions, but they were both lost.  
_Find the statue!_  
_It has to be this way..._  
_What did the map say?_  
_The coin should lead her..._  
_She must restore both sides..._  
_Balance, balance..._

_I am Athena the Avenger._

_I am Minerva the Protector._

Even with the splitting between her two sides, Minerva and Athena could agree on one set of simple instructions;

_Follow the Mark of Athena._  
_Burn Rome._  
_Find the olive city._  
_Destroy the Romans._  
_Save Athens._  
_Restore my honor._

_Avenge me._


End file.
